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barmcd · 04-12-2017, 06:39 AM

We got hammered by a storm in central Texas yesterday--over 8 inches of rain between 1 and 8 am at our house. Both bar ditches were over flowing and we had about 2" of standing water in the yard at daybreak. It was the perfect time to check out the coach for leaks.

I checked inside every cabinet (upper and lower), the carpet along the bottom of every wall, the ceiling covering around the air conditioners, vent fans, TV antenna, and lights, the wall around the windows, and the entry door and windshield. Everything was dry except I had a small puddle of water on the driver's floor mat just in front of the seat. I couldn't find where it came from though.

The ceiling above the driver's seat is perfectly dry. The carpet around the floor mat was dry. There was no sign of a leak in the compartment over the driver's window or the TV cabinet above the dash on the driver's side. I removed the two side covers on the side panel to the left of the driver's seat and no sign of water. I checked along the inside of the windshield and under the dash and no water. There is no sign that water was coming through the window. We haven't used the coach since November so there was a light coating of dust on just about everything and no sign that anything had been wet, except the puddle on the floormat. The only place I couldn't get a good look at was behind the round speaker above the driver. How do you get that speaker grille off?

I'm flummoxed at this point. I already have a plan to remove and reseal the driver's side window so that should eliminate that as a potential leak point. I should be able to tell if the window has been leaking when I have it out. I had planned to inspect the roof in the next couple weeks, but now I'm thinking I'll just reseal everything on top to make sure there are no leaks.

gemert · 04-12-2017, 07:18 AM

The speaker grill probably just pries off. I just had to take one of mine off and it was a job getting it to come off but it did. Look at your running lights for the leak. Monaco used some lenses that seem to get micro cracks in them that causes them to leak. especially when driving or in a driving rain. Happened to mine and many others. And of course check and seal around them with Lexan.

rvhotrod · 04-12-2017, 07:26 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by barmcd

We got hammered by a storm in central Texas yesterday--over 8 inches of rain between 1 and 8 am at our house. Both bar ditches were over flowing and we had about 2" of standing water in the yard at daybreak. It was the perfect time to check out the coach for leaks.

I checked inside every cabinet (upper and lower), the carpet along the bottom of every wall, the ceiling covering around the air conditioners, vent fans, TV antenna, and lights, the wall around the windows, and the entry door and windshield. Everything was dry except I had a small puddle of water on the driver's floor mat just in front of the seat. I couldn't find where it came from though.

The ceiling above the driver's seat is perfectly dry. The carpet around the floor mat was dry. There was no sign of a leak in the compartment over the driver's window or the TV cabinet above the dash on the driver's side. I removed the two side covers on the side panel to the left of the driver's seat and no sign of water. I checked along the inside of the windshield and under the dash and no water. There is no sign that water was coming through the window. We haven't used the coach since November so there was a light coating of dust on just about everything and no sign that anything had been wet, except the puddle on the floormat. The only place I couldn't get a good look at was behind the round speaker above the driver. How do you get that speaker grille off?

I'm flummoxed at this point. I already have a plan to remove and reseal the driver's side window so that should eliminate that as a potential leak point. I should be able to tell if the window has been leaking when I have it out. I had planned to inspect the roof in the next couple weeks, but now I'm thinking I'll just reseal everything on top to make sure there are no leaks.

Dennis,
X2 on prying the speaker cover off. Took mine off a couple of years ago, pry gently going around the perimeter.

barmcd · 04-12-2017, 07:41 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by gemert

The speaker grill probably just pries off. I just had to take one of mine off and it was a job getting it to come off but it did. Look at your running lights for the leak. Monaco used some lenses that seem to get micro cracks in them that causes them to leak. especially when driving or in a driving rain. Happened to mine and many others. And of course check and seal around them with Lexan.

Thanks for the tip, but I don't think those lights will leak on me. I replaced all five running lights with LEDs last year so the base and lens cover are both new. I applied Dicor sealer to the back of the base before I screwed it to the coach, then I ran a bead of sealer where the base meets the roof. I also applied sealer to the actual led light fixture where it twists into place in the base and to the back of the lens cover before popping it into place.

I'll get that grille cover off tonight and see if I can find any water behind it.

avfordguy · 04-12-2017, 10:24 PM

I chased the same leak in my 04dip,leak was where front cap meets the roof, water wicked its way down behind overhead cabinets and ended up on driver floor next to steering colum, resealed front cap to roof even though it looked ok,m leak gone

Bubba1 · 04-12-2017, 11:01 PM

Found water on floor in front of drivers seat sometime back. Turned out to be the seal around the TV antenna leaking on mine. Came out through drivers side speaker. As others said, speaker cover comes off. It just takes some gentle prying. I used a narrow blade plastic putty knife to remove mine. Good luck finding your leak.

Mike H

barmcd · 04-13-2017, 06:34 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by avfordguy

I chased the same leak in my 04dip,leak was where front cap meets the roof, water wicked its way down behind overhead cabinets and ended up on driver floor next to steering colum, resealed front cap to roof even though it looked ok,m leak gone

Thanks for the info, that's first on my to do list, along with the air horns, and several other things above the front of the coach.

barmcd · 04-13-2017, 06:35 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bubba1

Found water on floor in front of drivers seat sometime back. Turned out to be the seal around the TV antenna leaking on mine. Came out through drivers side speaker. As others said, speaker cover comes off. It just takes some gentle prying. I used a narrow blade plastic putty knife to remove mine. Good luck finding your leak.

Mike H

Thanks Mike, the TV antenna is on my list too.

barmcd · 04-13-2017, 06:36 AM

How long does Dicor self leveling sealer need to dry before it gets wet? The forecast isn't rain free for the next week or so.

barmcd · 04-14-2017, 09:09 AM

I don't have a seam between the front cap and roof. The roof is one piece and there is no seam where it mates with the side wall except the molding along the top of the side wall.

barmcd · 04-14-2017, 04:48 PM

I looked at all the sealant on the roof and most of it looked pretty good. There was only one good coat on most stuff and there wasn't a lot of cracking or shifting. Absent a smoking gun, I sealed anything that looked like it was cracked or questionable. The only thing over the front of the coach are the horns, a terrestrial radio antenna, satellite dish and the satellite radio antenna. I don't know if that radio antenna is or the AM/FM or the CB. If it's for the CB I'd just as soon remove it and seal the opening.

The only thing that looked bad to me was the sealer around the shower skylight. Someone had added sealer over the original sealer and it looked pretty bad.

I spent about 20 minutes scraping off a pound of old sealer and added a good coat to the seam and each screw head. It looks a lot better--I'm going to scrape off the excess I left behind so it doesn't look so bad.

rvhotrod · 04-15-2017, 07:55 AM

Dennis, That's a CB antenna next to the horns. (laying down)

barmcd · 04-15-2017, 11:39 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rvhotrod

Dennis, That's a CB antenna next to the horns. (laying down)

Thanks Dennis, I'll definitely be removing it and patching the hole.

RCLImperial · 04-16-2017, 08:08 AM

Check the mounting plates for the sat dome. Mine were leaking even though the caulking looked intact. The mounting plates are bolted to the bottom of the dome base and extend out beyond the perimeter of the dome. Screws then to hold the plates to the roof. Caulking is then done around the visible portion of the mounting plates. However,in my case, there was no caulking under the screw hole areas and water was getting under the plates and into the screw penetrations through the roof. From there it traveled through the roof and dripped out the passenger side window edge.

Dick L '04 HR Imperial